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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Acts 10:9–18. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Cornelius had received positive orders from heaven to send for Peter, whom otherwise he had not heard of, or at least not heeded; but here is another difficulty that lies in the way of bringing them together - the question is whether Peter will come to Cornelius when he is sent for; not as if he thought it below him to come at a beck, or as if he were afraid to preach his doctrine to a polite man as Cornelius was: but it sticks at a point of conscience. Cornelius is a very worthy man, and has many good qualities, but he is a Gentile, he is not circumcised; and, because God in his law had forbidden his people to associate with idolatrous nations, they would not keep company with any but those of their own religion, though they were ever so deserving, and they carried the matter so far that they made even the involuntary touch of a Gentile to contract a ceremonial pollution, Joh 18:28. Peter had not got over this stingy bigoted notion of his countrymen, and therefore will be shy of coming to Cornelius. Now, to remove this difficulty, he has a vision here, to prepare him to receive the message sent him by Cornelius, as Ananias had to prepare him to go to Paul. The scriptures of the Old Testament had spoken plainly of the bringing in of the Gentiles into the church. Christ had given plain intimations of it when he ordered them to teach all nations; and yet even Peter himself, who knew so much of his Master's mind, could not understand it, till it was here revealed by vision, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, Eph 3:6. Now here observe,
I.The circumstances of this vision.
1.It was when the messengers sent from Cornelius were now nigh the city, Act 10:9. Peter knew nothing of their approach, and they knew nothing of his praying; but he that knew both him and them was preparing things for the interview, and facilitating the end of their negotiation. To all God's purposes there is a time, a proper time; and he is pleased often to bring things to the minds of his ministers, which they had not thought of, just then when they have occasion to use them.
2.It was when Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about noon.
(1.)Peter was much in prayer, much in secret prayer, though he had a great deal of public work upon his hands.
(2.)He prayed about the sixth hour, according to David's example, who, not only morning and evening, but at noon, addressed himself to God by prayer, Psa 55:17. From morning to night we should think to be too long to be without meat; yet who thinks it is too long to be without prayer?
(3.)He prayed upon the house-top; thither he retired for privacy, where he could neither hear nor be heard, and so might avoid both distraction and ostentation. There, upon the roof of the house, he had a full view of the heavens, which might assist his pious adoration of the God he prayed to; and there he had also a full view of the city and country, which might assist his pious compassion of the people he prayed for.
(4.)He had this vision immediately after he had prayed, as an answer to his prayer for the spreading of the gospel, and because the ascent of the heart to God in prayer is an excellent preparative to receive the discoveries of the divine grace and favour.
3.It was when he became very hungry, and was waiting for his dinner (Act 10:10); probably he had not that day eaten before, though doubtless he had prayed before; and now he would have eaten, ēthele geusasthai - he would have tasted, which intimates his great moderation and temperance in eating. When he was very hungry, yet he would be content with a little, with a taste, and would not fly upon the spoil. Now this hunger was a proper inlet to the vision about meats, as Christ's hunger in the wilderness was to Satan's temptation to turn stones into bread.
II.The vision itself, which was not so plain as that to Cornelius, but more figurative and enigmatical, to make the deeper impression.
1.He fell into a trance or ecstasy, not of terror, but of contemplation, with which he was so entirely swallowed up as not only not to be regardful, but not to be sensible, of external things. He quite lost himself to this world, and so had his mind entirely free for converse with divine things; as Adam in innocency, when the deep sleep fell upon him. The more clear we get of the world, the more near we get to heaven: whether Peter was now in the body or out of the body he could not himself tell, much less can we, Co2 12:2, Co2 12:3. See Gen 15:12; Act 22:17.
2.He saw heaven opened, that he might be sure that his authority to go to Cornelius was indeed from heaven - that it was a divine light which altered his sentiments, and a divine power which gave him his commission. The opening of the heavens signified the opening of a mystery that had been hid, Rom 16:25.
3.He saw a great sheet full of all manner of living creatures, which descended from heaven, and was let down to him to the earth, that is, to the roof of the house where he now was. Here were not only beasts of the earth, but fowls of the air, which might have flown away, laid at his feet; and not only tame beasts, but wild. Here were no fishes of the sea, because there were none of them in particular unclean, but whatever had fins and scales was allowed to be eaten. Some make this sheet, thus filled, to represent the church of Christ. It comes down from heaven, from heaven opened, not only to send it down (Rev 21:2), but to receive souls sent up from it. It is knit at the four corners, to receive those from all parts of the world that are willing to be added to it; and to retain and keep those safe that are taken into it, that they may not fall out; and in this we find some of all countries, nations, and languages, without any distinction of Greek or Jew, or any disadvantage put upon Barbarian or Scythian, Col 3:11. The net of the gospel encloses all, both bad and good, those that before were clean and unclean. Or it may be applied to the bounty of the divine Providence, which, antecedently to the prohibitions of the ceremonial law, had given to man a liberty to use all the creatures, to which by the cancelling of that law we are now restored. By this vision we are taught to see all the benefit and service we have from the inferior creatures coming down to us from heaven; it is the gift of God who made them, made them fit for us, and then gave to man a right to them, and dominion over them. Lord, what is man that he should be thus magnified! Psa 8:4-8. How should it double our comfort in the creatures, and our obligations to serve God in the use of them, to see them thus let down to us out of heaven!
4.He was ordered by a voice from heaven to make use of this plenty and variety which God had sent him (Act 10:13): "Rise, Peter, kill and eat: without putting any difference between clean and unclean, take which thou hast most mind to." The distinction of meats which the law made was intended to put a difference between Jew and Gentile, that it might be difficult to them to dine and sup with a Gentile, because they would have that set before them which they were not allowed to eat; and now the taking off of that prohibition was a plain allowance to converse with the Gentiles, and to be free and familiar with them. Now they might fare as they fared, and therefore might eat with them, and be fellow-commoners with them.
5.He stuck to his principles, and would by no means hearken to the motion, though he was hungry (Act 10:14): Not so, Lord. Though hunger will break through stone walls, God's laws should be to us a stronger fence than stone walls, and not so easily broken through. And he will adhere to God's laws, though he has a countermand by a voice from heaven, not knowing at first but that Kill, and eat, was a command of trial whether he would adhere to the more sure word, the written law; and if so his answer had been very good, Not so, Lord. Temptations to eat forbidden fruit must not be parleyed with, but peremptorily rejected; we must startle at the thought of it: Not so, Lord. The reason he gives is, "For I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean; hitherto I have kept my integrity in this matter, and will still keep it." If God, by his grace, has preserved us from gross sin unto this day, we should use this as an argument with ourselves to abstain from all appearance of evil. So strict were the pious Jews in this matter, that the seven brethren, those glorious martyrs under Antiochus, choose rather to be tortured to death in the most cruel manner that ever was than to eat swine's flesh, because it was forbidden by the law. No wonder then that Peter says it with so much pleasure, that his conscience could witness for him that he had never gratified his appetite with any forbidden food.
6.God, by a second voice from heaven, proclaimed the repeal of the law in this case (Act 10:15): What God hath cleansed, that call thou not common. He that made the law might alter it when he pleased, and reduce the matter to its first state. God had, for reasons suited to the Old Testament dispensation, restrained the Jews from eating such and such meats, to which, while that dispensation lasted, they were obliged in conscience to submit; but he has now, for reasons suited to the New Testament dispensation, taken off that restraint, and set the matter at large - has cleansed that which was before polluted to us, and we ought to make use of, and stand fast in, the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and not call that common or unclean which God has now declared clean. Note, We ought to welcome it as a great mercy that by the gospel of Christ we are freed from the distinction of meats, which was made by the law of Moses, and that now every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused; not so much because hereby we gain the use of swine's flesh, hares, rabbits, and other pleasant and wholesome food for our bodies, but chiefly because conscience is hereby freed from a yoke in things of this nature, that we might serve God without fear. Though the gospel has made duties which were not so by the law of nature, yet it has not, like the law of Moses, made sins that were not so. Those who command to abstain from some kinds of meat at some times of the year, and place religion in it, call that common which God hath cleansed, and in that error, more than in any truth, are the successors of Peter.
7.This was done thrice, Act 10:16. The sheet was drawn up a little way, and let down again the second time, and so the third time, with the same call to him, to kill, and eat, and the same reason, that what God hath cleansed we must not call common; but whether Peter's refusal was repeated the second and third time is not certain; surely it was not, when his objection had the first time received such a satisfactory answer. The trebling of Peter's vision, like the doubling of Pharaoh's dream, was to show that the thing was certain, and engage him to take so much the more notice of it. The instructions given us in the things of God, whether by the ear in the preaching of the word, or by the eye in sacraments, need to be often repeated; precept must be upon precept, and line upon line. But at last the vessel was received up into heaven. Those who make this vessel to represent the church, including both Jews and Gentiles, as this did both clean and unclean creatures, make this very aptly to signify the admission of the believing Gentiles into the church, and into heaven too, into the Jerusalem above. Christ has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and there we shall find, besides those that are sealed out of all the tribes of Israel, an innumerable company out of every nation (Rev 7:9); but they are such as God has cleansed.
III.The providence which very opportunely explained this vision, and gave Peter to understand the intention of it, Act 10:17, Act 10:18.
1.What Christ did, Peter knew not just then (Joh 13:7): He doubted within himself what this vision which he had seen should mean. He had no reason to doubt the truth of it, that it was a heavenly vision; all his doubt was concerning the meaning of it. Note, Christ reveals himself to his people by degrees, and not all at once; and leaves them to doubt awhile, to ruminate upon a thing, and debate it to and fro in their own minds, before he clears it up to them.
2.Yet he was made to know presently, for the men who were sent from Cornelius were just now come to the house, and were at the gate enquiring whether Peter lodged there; and by their errand it will appear what was the meaning of this vision. Note, God knows what services are before us, and therefore how to prepare us; and we then better know the meaning of what he has taught us when we find what occasion we have to make use of it.
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
I also know that the blessed Peter was both hungry and at the same time drunk in such a type of drunkenness as this. Before his bodily meal was brought to him, when “he became hungry and wanted to take food,” while his own were preparing the table for him, there came upon him a divine and sober drunkenness. Through this drunkenness he stood outside himself and saw the gospel linen sent down from above by four corners and holding the whole human race within itself in the myriad forms of birds and quadripeds and creeping things and beasts formed according to the cults, whose beastly and irrational form the Word commanded Peter to sacrifice, in order that by being cleansed what was left would become edible. This cleansing is clear from the word of piety not being handed over naked, for the divine voice says not once that what God has made clean is not unclean, but this proclamation happens thrice, so that we may learn from the first voice that God the Father purifies and from the second that in the same way the God purifying is the only-begotten God and from the third that equally the God purifying all that is unclean is the Holy Spirit.
And what is the intention of the Scripture which teaches us that Peter fasted, and that the revelation concerning the baptism of Gentiles was made to him when fasting and praying, except to show that the Saints themselves advance when they fast. Finally, Moses received the Law when he was fasting; and so Peter when fasting was taught the grace of the New Testament. Daniel too by virtue of his fast stopped the mouths of the lions and saw the events of future times. And what safety can there be for us unless we wash away our sins by fasting, since Scripture says that fasting and alms do away sin?
Those heretics who introduce [different] natures [into the argument that some are evil by nature] claim that those people who are called, because of their depravity, “dogs” and “pigs,” are unable to have a share of salvation, and that it is to these that the Savior forbade the giving of what is holy, the divine pearls. They also say that these people, who are called ravenous wolves and foxes along with the names of all the other brute animals, are evil by nature. Their claim is to be refuted from the vision in this passage that none of them is evil by nature but by his intentions. For when God wanted to teach Peter that no one must be rejected as impure and polluting, he sent down from heaven to earth by its four corners a certain vessel similar to a linen cloth, in which were all the species of brute animals, from which Peter was ordered to sacrifice and eat. And, since he still observed the Jewish laws and thought that what he was seeing was physical, he refused to eat, saying that he had never eaten anything impure and unclean. When he had spoken these words, he heard the divine oracle: “What God has purified do not call unclean.” Drawing from this the conclusion that these things were said about the character of people, he said that God had shown him that no one is unclean by his nature. He therefore went without objection to the house of Cornelius, who desired to receive the fruit of the gospel teaching together with all his family. Thus it has been shown that four-footed animals, reptiles and birds, in reference to the different characters of human beings, are acceptable to God. And therefore, not because of an opposing nature has it been forbidden to throw pearls or what is holy to dogs and pigs, but because of the extremely evil character that can be left behind until no dog or pig exists anymore. Thus the Syrophoenician woman was made from a dog into a human being, so that Jesus also granted her the bread of the children.“He fell into a trance,” Scripture says, “and saw the heavens opened.” Those who love to be the disciples of delirious women—those from Phrygia—claiming to be prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, do not understand their own utterances at the moment of prophecy. They believe they have proof for their error from this passage of Scripture that Peter fell into a trance. But let the foolish and truly insane know that this word means many different things. For it indicates both the awe at something wondrous, and the action of going out of the tangible world to the spiritual, as well as the delirium of senses, which cannot be applied to Peter or the prophets, but the other meanings of this word can be. For without a doubt, Peter, in a trance, followed along so as to proclaim what he saw and heard and what the signs, which he received, revealed. And you can certainly say the same about all the prophets who followed along with and saw the things that they reported to have seen. Indeed they were wise and learned from the same mouth what they proffered, for the Lord openly commanded them, after his resurrection, to instruct all the nations in his doctrine. So why did the apostles in Jerusalem, after hearing what had been done at the house of Cornelius, argue with Peter?
Clearly Peter, the all-holy leader of the apostles, needed the divine revelation concerning the nations. He did not know that there is no distinction between circumcised and uncircumcised with respect to the faith. Furthermore, he did not clearly know that the Lord called for the nations to be made into disciples apart from the visible worship according to the law until he revealed the mystery of God’s unspoken will and revelation. And through the figure shown by the linen cloth and through the granting of the grace of the Holy Spirit in like manner to the nations according to faith, he made the case that in Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile.
"And he became very hungry, and would have eaten; but while they made ready, there fell upon him a trance." What means this expression, ekstasis, "trance?" Rather, there was presented to him a kind of spiritual view (theoria): the soul, so to say, was caused to be out of the body.
A trance fell upon him, and he saw heaven opened. The opening of heaven designates the future imminent revelation of heavenly mysteries to the Gentiles, and the very entrance of the heavenly kingdom being opened.
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Summary
Acts 10:10 describes Peter's physical state of intense hunger while staying in Joppa, a mundane human need that paradoxically serves as the immediate prelude to a profound spiritual experience. As preparations for a meal were underway, Peter fell into a divinely orchestrated trance, setting the stage for a transformative vision that would challenge his deeply ingrained Jewish understanding of ritual purity and, more significantly, open the door for the full inclusion of Gentiles into the nascent Christian community. This verse highlights God's sovereign use of ordinary circumstances to initiate extraordinary revelations that reshape the course of salvation history.
Context
Literary Context
Acts 10:10 is a pivotal verse, serving as the immediate narrative bridge between the ordinary and the extraordinary in Peter's life. It directly follows the introduction of Cornelius, a devout Gentile centurion, who simultaneously receives a divine instruction to send for Peter (Acts 10:1-8). Peter's hunger is not a random detail but a carefully placed element that provides a natural, relatable backdrop for the supernatural event that is about to unfold. The "trance" is the divine mechanism through which Peter receives the vision of the sheet filled with clean and unclean animals (Acts 10:11-16), directly challenging his Jewish dietary laws and, by extension, his understanding of who God considers "clean" or "unclean" among people. This dual divine encounter—Cornelius's and Peter's—underscores God's intentionality in uniting Jew and Gentile.
Historical & Cultural Context
Peter's stay at the house of Simon the tanner in Joppa is itself significant. Tanners worked with animal hides, a profession often considered ceremonially unclean by strict Jewish standards due to contact with dead animals. Peter's willingness to lodge there already indicates a degree of openness beyond traditional Jewish strictures. Jewish dietary laws (kashrut), based on Mosaic law (Leviticus 11), sharply distinguished between clean and unclean foods, a distinction that also mirrored social and religious boundaries between Jews and Gentiles. For a devout Jew like Peter, the idea of eating "unclean" food was abhorrent. The cultural context of the first-century Jewish mindset, with its strong emphasis on separation and purity, makes the upcoming revelation all the more revolutionary and challenging for Peter.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Acts and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it exemplifies Divine Preparation for Revelation, showing how God often uses ordinary human needs—like hunger—and mundane circumstances to prepare individuals for profound spiritual encounters. Peter's physical need becomes the precise moment for divine intervention. Secondly, it highlights the Supernatural Interrupting the Natural, where a "trance" (Greek ekstasis) signifies a state of altered consciousness for direct divine communication, demonstrating God's ability to transcend human limitations to reveal His will. Thirdly, and most critically, it serves as a powerful Foreshadowing of Gentile Inclusion. The impending vision, prompted by Peter's hunger, directly leads to the dismantling of the Jew-Gentile barrier in the early church, a theme central to the book of Acts and later expounded by Paul, who speaks of Christ breaking down the "dividing wall of hostility" in Ephesians 2:14. This moment marks a pivotal shift in the mission of the church, moving beyond its Jewish origins to embrace "all nations," as commanded in the Great Commission.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (G4361) is a compound word, intensifying the sense of hunger. It literally means "hungering further" or "intensely hungry." This is not just a mild craving but a strong, pressing physical need. The intensity of Peter's hunger underscores the immediate and practical context for the vision, making the subsequent divine interruption all the more striking and impactful.
The verb thélō (G2309) signifies a strong desire or intention, an active choice from subjective impulse. Coupled with geúomai (G1089), "to taste" or "to eat," it conveys Peter's eager readiness and strong desire to satisfy his intense hunger. This phrase emphasizes his natural human state and anticipation of a meal, making the sudden shift to a trance a dramatic contrast to his physical craving.
Derived from exístēmi, meaning "to stand out from," ékstasis (G1611) literally denotes a "displacement of the mind." In the biblical context, it refers to a state of spiritual rapture, altered consciousness, or profound bewilderment, where one is temporarily removed from ordinary sensory perception to receive divine revelation. It is a state where the natural faculties are suspended, allowing for direct, unhindered communication from God, as seen in other biblical accounts of visions and prophecies.
Verse Breakdown
"And he became very hungry"
This clause establishes Peter's immediate physical condition, a relatable human experience that grounds the subsequent supernatural event in an everyday context. His intense hunger creates a natural desire for food, setting up the dramatic irony of the vision that will challenge his very understanding of "clean" food.
"and would have eaten"
This indicates Peter's active desire and readiness to consume food. It highlights his expectation of a meal, making the sudden divine interruption even more unexpected and powerful. His natural craving for sustenance becomes the backdrop for a spiritual feeding.
"but while they made ready"
This transitional clause points to a moment of waiting and preparation. The delay in the meal's readiness provides the precise window of opportunity for God to intervene. It suggests divine timing, where an ordinary pause in human activity becomes the perfect moment for an extraordinary divine encounter.
"he fell into a trance"
This is the climactic moment of the verse, marking the supernatural interruption. Peter's physical state gives way to a spiritual one, indicating a profound shift in consciousness where he becomes receptive to direct divine communication. This "trance" is God's chosen method to convey the revolutionary truth that will redefine the early church's mission.
Literary Devices
Acts 10:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to heighten its impact. Juxtaposition is prominent, contrasting Peter's very human, physical hunger and desire for a meal with the sudden, supernatural onset of a trance. This sharp contrast underscores the divine intervention's unexpected nature, breaking into the mundane. There is also a strong element of Foreshadowing, as Peter's physical hunger for food subtly anticipates the spiritual "food" of the vision—a radical new understanding of God's inclusive plan that will challenge his deeply ingrained dietary and social distinctions. Furthermore, a subtle Irony is at play: Peter desires physical food, but God is about to feed him a spiritual truth that transcends his current understanding of "clean" and "unclean," ultimately leading to the abolition of the very food laws that govern his hunger. The verse also functions as a Narrative Hook, immediately drawing the reader into the impending, pivotal revelation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Acts 10:10 is a testament to God's sovereign and often surprising methods of revelation. It underscores the theological truth that God can use the most ordinary, even mundane, human circumstances—like hunger—to initiate profound spiritual breakthroughs and redirect the course of His redemptive plan. Peter's trance is not merely an altered state but a divinely orchestrated means to convey a truth that would shatter centuries of Jewish tradition: the ceremonial distinctions between clean and unclean, Jew and Gentile, were being superseded by the new covenant in Christ. This event marks a crucial turning point, demonstrating God's expansive grace and His intention to create one new humanity, united in Christ, without the need for prior ethnic or ritual conformity. It highlights God's patience and pedagogical approach, preparing Peter's heart and mind for a revelation that would otherwise have been too radical to accept.
Reflection and Application
Acts 10:10 offers profound insights for contemporary believers, encouraging us to cultivate a posture of openness and attentiveness to God's activity in our daily lives. Just as Peter's mundane hunger became the gateway to a monumental revelation, we are reminded that God often speaks and acts through the ordinary, the unexpected, and even our physical needs. This verse challenges us to consider what "trances"—moments of divine interruption or spiritual clarity—God might be inviting us into, particularly when they challenge our comfort zones, long-held traditions, or preconceived notions about who God is and how He works. It calls us to be receptive to new understandings of God's will, especially when they require us to dismantle personal biases or cultural barriers that hinder the full expression of the Gospel's inclusive nature. Our willingness to be stretched and to submit to God's broader, often counter-cultural, plans is crucial for spiritual growth and effective ministry in a diverse world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is a "trance" in the biblical sense, and how is it different from a dream?
In the biblical context, particularly in the New Testament, a "trance" (Greek ékstasis) refers to a state of altered consciousness or spiritual rapture where a person's normal sensory perceptions are suspended, allowing for direct and vivid divine revelation. Unlike a dream, which typically occurs during sleep and can be symbolic or less direct, a trance often occurs while a person is awake (though perhaps in a suspended state of awareness) and involves a direct, often visual or auditory, communication from God. For Peter in Acts 10, the trance was a specific, divinely induced state designed to convey a message that would have been profoundly challenging to his waking, traditional mindset. It served as a powerful, undeniable means for God to communicate His will.
Why was Peter's hunger significant in this account?
Peter's hunger was significant for several reasons. Firstly, it provided a natural and relatable context for the supernatural event. God often meets us in our ordinary human experiences. Secondly, it created a direct link to the content of the vision: food. The vision of the sheet filled with all kinds of animals, both clean and unclean, directly addressed Peter's physical desire for food but then immediately challenged his religious understanding of what was permissible to eat. This physical need became a pedagogical tool for a spiritual lesson, preparing Peter's mind to receive a revolutionary truth about the inclusion of Gentiles, who were considered "unclean" by Jewish law, into God's family. It was a tangible setup for an intangible, yet profound, spiritual shift.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Acts 10:10, with Peter's trance and the subsequent vision, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the true agent of unity and the abolisher of all dividing walls. The distinction between "clean" and "unclean," which governed Jewish life and separated Jew from Gentile, was fundamentally transformed by Christ's redemptive work. Through His death on the cross, Jesus "abolished the law with its commandments and regulations" (Ephesians 2:15), thereby creating "one new humanity out of the two," reconciling both to God in one body. Peter's vision, prompted by his hunger, was a divine object lesson in this new reality. The animals declared clean by God in the vision symbolize the Gentiles, whom Christ has cleansed and made acceptable to God through His blood. The Great Commission, given by Christ Himself, commanded His disciples to make disciples of all nations, and Peter's experience in Acts 10 is the practical, Spirit-led outworking of that command. Thus, the "trance" and the vision are not merely about dietary laws, but about the radical inclusivity of the Gospel, made possible by Christ's universal atonement, which breaks down every barrier and invites all people into a relationship with God, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham that through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed.